Monday, 9 October 2006

DUFF`S FAMOUS WINGS ~ Amherst NY USA

The Great Wing Tour 2006
Saturday October 7th

Day 2

After a late night of watching Russel Peter's new video "Outsourced", plotting out routes and eating chicken wings, Rick and I ended up getting very little sleep, having to wake up early to hit the road. Before we headed out, I found Ricky looking at the blog entry from the night before, and questioning him on why he was reviewing it he said "you have to know where you have been to know where you are going".

Spirits were high on the road, as we were both very excited about the road trip as much as the wings. Things turned a little dark when we arrived at the border. The American Border Guard asked us questions about our student status (demanding to see our student cards asking how students could do international travel etc). She proceeded to tell us to turn off the car as she searched our trunk, then went through our bags in the back seat. Of course, all was in order as the Great Wing Tour is completely legal, and over into Buffalo we came. We made a brief a stop at Rick's relatives, and shortly there after we pulled into the parking lot of Duff's Famous Wings, the original.

Like its Toronto counterpart, American Duff's was loud, faced paced and extremely packed. We waited at least 10 mins for a seat for 2. The atmosphere was also family packed, but I have to say the Toronto location's decor was cleaner and less 1970's ish.

Once seated, we scanned the menu to find it was relatively the same as Duff's TO. Rick and I both ordered a lunch special (only available in the USofA) which was 10 wings, veggies & dip, and your choice of 2 sides (fries, chili, soup or salad). We didn't have to wait long for our feasts to arrive.

I was overwhelmed by the food when it came. My combo was a Caesar salad, fries and the giant celery and vat of blue cheese dip. The wings looked, smelled and tasted just like Canadian Duff's. This actually surprised me, only because I thought there would be some variation on them. I also ordered a side of Death sauce, which was also identical, and a sauce that make me want to vomit, not so much for the heat, but the flavour.

The only thing that really differed was the bowl American Duff's served them in, and the lake of hot sauce that they came in. They weren't swimming, they were drowning in hot sauce! As seen in the picture above, I had to tip my wings on the edge so that they wouldn't be so submerged in sauce. Although said presentation was breathtaking, after a while the wings got soggy and certainly lost the crisp wings that they are so good at making.

Rick got the chili as his other side dish, which looked terrific, covered in cheese and played well I think into the menu of Duff's. We both got fries which were shoestring, McDonald's style and very hard to stop muching. They were great with the blue cheese dip (which had a different flavour, almost mayo-like taste compared to blue cheese in the north.

So how did the wings fare overall? Rick's take on them were that they were mono-flavoured - he had hoped for a greater 'bouque' of flavour. As for me, these wings were good, but the same as Canada. And I like the atmosphere and staff at Toronto Duff's more. Also, there was no Armageddon wings on this menu. Disappointing over all.